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Friday, September 16, 2011

Jets’ Mason: Thank You For the Not-So-Kind Words, Bill Belichick

By ART STAPLETON
Staff writer
FLORHAM PARK—Derrick Mason did not watch the NFL Films documentary on a season in the life of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, which aired Thursday night on NFL Network.
The veteran wide receiver for the Jets found out he had played quite a memorable role in the show before it was even over, however.
“I didn’t see it, but I got a ton of tweets about it last night,” Mason said at his locker following practice today. “Tell Bill Belichick thank you for whatever he said. I’ll continue to talk.”
The documentary on Belichick was filmed during the 2009 season and the show-stopping scene involving Mason, then with the Baltimore Ravens, and Belichick took place during the regular season meeting between the two teams in New England. The Patriots led 24-14 in the third quarter at the time of the exchange following a Mason catch along the Patriots sideline.
Mason talks trash to Belichick, then pats him on the rear while laughing. Belichick responded with an expletive-laced rant.
“Oh, [bleep] you Mason, just [bleep] you, will ya,” Belichick said. “Why don’t we talk after the game, alright? Just shut the [bleep] up. Can you look at the scoreboard?”

Mason said he felt disrespected by Belichick’s remarks and would seek him out during the game when the Jets play in New England on Oct. 9.
“Oh yeah, I will seek him out,” Mason said. “Believe me. I will. Not before [but] during the game.”
Mason also took a jab at the Patriots with a reference to the Spy Gate controversy that surrounded Belichick and the Patriots.
“I respect him because he’s a very good head coach,” Mason said. “They’ve won a bunch a games during that – those times [using air quotes] – when they were allegedly [laughs] … they won a bunch of games. But nah, I respect Coach. He’s a good coach. But I will seek him out.”
Read Saturday’s editions of The Record for more from Mason.

About

J.P. PELZMAN joined The Record in April 1998. He began his career at the Ocean County Observer in Toms River, where he spent one year before leaving for Newsday on Long Island. At The Record, he was the primary backup on the New York Jets’ beat for nine seasons, from 1998-2006, before becoming the beat writer in 2007. Pelzman also has been The Record’s beat writer for Seton Hall men’s basketball since the 2002-03 season.